Love's Relief
by JessicaGoble
Summary: HitsuHina - Hitsugaya Toshiro and Hinamori Momo have both been hiding feelings from eachother for a long time. What happens when circumstances finally force them to confess their love? One-shot, or maybe two :-


**A/N**: Hey all, so I'm taking a short break from my NaruSaku fanfic because I'm kinda hitting a fork in the road and I'm considering my options before making a decision on where I want the story to go, but don't worry about it, I'll be getting back to writing it tomorrow, so the new chap should be up either tomorrow or the day after!

Anyways, this is my second ever fanfiction, and my first short-story...it's called Love's Relief and it's a HitsugayaxHinamori fanfic, I just recently fell in love (and when i mean love, i mean head-over-heals) with BLEACH. I was a bit skeptical since Naruto has always been my first (when it comes to anime at least haha).

Please Review and maybe even check out my other fanfic if ur a Naru/Saku fan :-)

Oh, and how about the new Naruto manga what was Kishimoto thinking? One moment its "Sasuke's going to utterly destroy Konoha!!" and the next its "Sasuke was just kidding about the destroy Konoha part, turns out he's just gonna kill the elders..." I mean seriously, can't Sasuke just wait for nature to take it's course? They looked pretty old to me...

Whoa...

I've been yapping about Naruto in a Bleach fanfic...

1000 apoligies! Okay... on to the story... before I'm killed... :-)

Love's Relief

Toshiro Hitsugaya sat on the rooftop of his barracks overlooking the Seireitei, his mind wandered from the training regiment of his division. It had long turned nighttime but Hitsugaya hadn't been able to sleep in days, his brain had been flooded with past memories, memories of former Captain Sosuke Aizen and former Captain Gin Ichimaru. His hand tightened into a fist as he thought about how he had allowed them both to escape, especially after all they had done to Momo.

Momo Hinamori, just thinking about her warmed his heart. He frowned deeply in thought as he remembered all of the suffering she had to go through, she was in love with her captain. A man who almost destroyed her. Hitsugaya wished with every ounce of his being that she didn't have to go through what she was going through now.

Momo was a precious being, she was sweet, innocent, and often naïve. Despite the fact that Hitsugaya was much younger and even a bit shorter than Momo, he felt as if it was his responsibility to protect her. He had always categorized their relationship as one of brother and sister. They were close, Hitsugaya trusted Momo more than he trusted any other person in the entire Soul Society. She had been with him for a long time. Always greeting him with that welcoming smile, despite how angry and irritated he could be. Whenever his temper heated, she was the only one who could calm him.

Seeing her hurt was worse than getting hurt himself.

Wounds heal and scars fade, but the memory of a suffering loved-one weighs on your heart for eternity, he knew that pain, he knew it oh so well.

He watched from the corner of his eye some one approach the barracks, the figure was cloaked, and seemed to be in a hurry. The figure then began to bang on the door of the barracks, who would disturb the sleep of his division at this hour.

He tuned his ears to hear in the direction of the banging fist against the door, he heard the door open.

"Whaddya want? It's two in the morning!" A voice said, obviously irritated, he recognized the voice as one of his team.

"I…I've come to see Captain Hitsugaya." A soft feminine voice squeaked, Hitsugaya recognized it immediately. He jumped down from the building right in front of the cloaked figure.

"Momo it's late, are you alright?" He asked, as he dismissed the team member.

"I'm sorry Hitsugaya-kun, I… just needed to speak with you." She said, her voice catching.

Hitsugaya took Momo's arm and led her past the barracks to his captain's quarters, he smiled to himself as he remembered how often Momo would barge into his quarters without so much as a knock. He had been upset with her then, but now he was so used to her dropping by he almost saw it as normal. She was a special case, after all.

As soon as they walked into Hitsugaya's quarters, Momo removed her cloak and hood. Hitsugaya leaned against the wall, watching her. When she turned to him he saw shiny tears rolling down her cheek.

"Momo?"

"I'm sorry, Shiro-chan." She said, wiping her eyes. "I didn't know who else to go to."

"What's this about?"

"I… I miss him." She muttered, sadly. "I wonder if he ever thinks about me."

Toshiro Hitsugaya's whole body tightened. He knew who she was talking about without her even mentioning the bastards name.

_Aizen._

Hitsugaya studied the floor and calmed his wild breathing. "I can't help you with that Momo, I'm not him."

Momo walked a little closer to him to where she stood a few feet away from him. He looked up into her crying eyes. "I can't sleep anymore, I have so many nightmares."

"About what?" Hitsugaya asked, he was almost afraid to ask.

"About you," she said, and he looked up at her, shocked. "I have no idea why, but I always dream that Captain Aizen is hurting you."

Hitsugaya looked away. "It's not _me_ he's hurting."

Momo twisted her hands together. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright." She said.

"Well take a look." Hitsugaya said, holding his arms out. "I'm just fine-"

Momo ran into Hitsugaya's arms, Hitsugaya's eyes widened. She had wrapped her arms around his neck, her head was buried in his shoulder. He stood there frozen, his arms still held out. She was sobbing and whimpering, the sound and sight of her suffering broke his heart.

"Momo…" Hitsugaya muttered, wrapping his arms around her torso.

"Shiro-chan, you remember when we were children?" she started, pulling away and looking down at the floor, her face had turned a bright shade of red. "Do you remember when you had a nightmare, I'd let you sleep in my bed with me?"

Hitsugaya was too worried to get angry at her for calling him by the demeaning nickname she had given him, but he remembered the countless times he had slept in the same bed as her, but that was when they were kids.

"Well, I was wondering…" she stammered, fidgeting with her Lieutenant badge. "I was wondering if just for tonight… I could… stay with… _you_…"

Hitsugaya considered it for a minute. If it ever got out that they had spent the night together, her reputation could be ruined. But it only took one look in her eyes to figure out his answer. She looked fragile, like she was about to break at any moment. Hitsugaya hated to admit it, but Momo was his biggest weakness. He couldn't stand to see her hurt, mentally or physically.

"Sure Momo," Hitsugaya said. "Do you want to talk about your dream first?" he asked, sitting down on his bed.

She sat down beside him and tucked her sock-covered feet underneath her. She brushed one of her stray hairs behind her head. "You were… you were in front of me…" she said, as she flashed back to that horrible dream.

_"You get the _hell_ away from MOMO!" Hitsugaya said, running in front of her as Captain Aizen approached. The whole area was black, she had no idea where she was, but she knew she was safe as long as both Captain Aizen and Shiro-chan was here. She looked up and saw the looks of contempt both Hitsugaya and Aizen gave for each other._

_"I believe it is my duty to protect my Lieutenant." Aizen said, with a fake smirk._

_"You betrayed the entire Soul Society, you betrayed your squad, and you betrayed Momo!" Hitsugaya yelled, pulling out his Zanpakuto. "You have no authority over Momo anymore!"_

_"No, Hitsugaya-kun!" Momo said, she couldn't watch him kill her Captain, her beloved Captain…_

_Aizen snarled and pulled out his Zanpakuto too. He held it over his head, ready to strike. "Let's see what you've got, Captain Hitsugaya!"_

_"No!" Momo screamed, she watched them as they both ran for each other, with intent to kill. The loud clank of swords clashing sickened Momo, she couldn't sit back and watch her two most important people in the entire world destroy themselves._

_Hitsugaya jumped back and pointed his sword at Aizen. "Set upon the frosted heavens, Hyorinmaru!" The sky suddenly darkened and clouds began to form. Momo watched in wonder as Aizen also jumped back._

_"Shatter, Kyoka Suigetsu…" Aizen muttered and to Momo's horror his Shikai appeared._

_Hitsugaya automatically stared at the floor, he knew first-hand the power of Aizen's Shikai._

_Aizen then caught Hitsugaya off guard, piercing him in the abdomen, the sword went completely through._

_"Shiro-chan!" Momo screamed, looking at her Captain in horror, how could he do this to her childhood friend? "Stop it Captain Aizen!" She yelled finally finding her strength. She got up and ran to where Hitsugaya was standing, her whole world was crashing around her. "Shiro-chan!"_

_In the next moment Aizen lifted his sword and brought it down, but just before he could make contact with Hitsugaya's shoulder, Hitsugaya lifted his Zanpakuto and it countered it's strength with his own._

_"Stand back, Hinamori!" Hitsugaya ordered as he took a step back, blood oozing out of his shihakusho and his white haori. His brows furrowed together in concentration as a white silhouette surrounded him, Hinamori could feel Hitsugaya's powerful spirit pressure._

_"Bankai."_

_Ice suddenly surrounded Hitsugaya turning him into his Bankai form, he had ice wings and a tail, his Zanpakuto changed into an ice dragon and his body was soon surrounded by ice._

_"THOUSAND YEARS ICE PRISON!" Hitsugaya yelled. Pillars of ice rose all around Aizen and Hitsugaya smirked. _

_But then suddenly Aizen jumped and stood atop the highest pillar Hitsugaya had created._

_Hitsugaya gasped as suddenly Aizen dived in his direction, he moved so quickly he didn't have time to move until he had pierced Hitsugaya through his forehead._

_"Some Bankai…" Aizen muttered, ripping his Zanpakuto out of Hitsugaya's skull._

_"SHIRO-CHAN!!" Hinamori yelled, running to Hitsugaya's side, his emerald eyes were wide and lifeless. Hinamori looked up to Aizen._

_"Captain Aizen, this is… this is unforgivable!" she screamed and Aizen chuckled._

_"Hinamori… nice, sweet, naïve little Momo." He said, acid dripping from his words. "I don't _care_ whether you forgive me or not, I'm just glad I got that _pest_ out of my way."_

_Hinamori turned around, grabbing onto Hitsugaya's shihakusho. "Shiro-chan…" she said, shaking him. "Come back, Shiro-chan…"_

_She burst out into tears and screamed at the top of her lungs, burying her face into Hitsugaya's haori. _

"Then I woke up…" she stuttered. Hitsugaya watched her face with worry, she had paled since she had started to talk about the horrible nightmare. She looked into his eyes, tears spilling out of her soft brown eyes. "It seemed so real."

Hitsugaya took a moment to think about the dream, it was no wonder she was as upset as she was, if _he_ had dreamed something like that about Momo, he would have been shaken up too.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, wiping her eyes. "I'm being a burden, I'll just leave." She said, standing. But before she could reach the door, he grabbed her hand.

She turned around and looked deeply into his eyes. "Shiro-chan?"

"You're staying the night here." Hitsugaya said, matter-of-factly.

They stared at each other for a couple of moments before Momo smiled and embraced him again. "Thank you, Hitsugaya-kun."

Momo sat on Hitsugaya's bed and pulled back the covers, his bed looked so inviting, so comfy. He had white sheets with a white down comforter. She buried her face into one of his pillows and looked up at him.

"Are you coming to bed, Hitsugaya-kun?" she asked, and he blushed. Something about this seemed different then all the times before that he had slept with her, of course they were much younger then, and she didn't look anything like she did now. She was more _girlish_ back then, now it seemed as if she was more older, more womanly.

"Yeah." He said, pulling off his haori and walking over to her. He kneeled over her and pulled the blanket over her body, tucking her in tightly. He climbed into bed and sat there, awkwardly against the bed frame. He was a bit tired, but didn't want to frighten Momo by making a move she wasn't expecting, after a moment though, she looked up into his eyes and smiled.

"Are you not sleepy?" she asked, and he nodded.

"Okay, would you mind if I laid closer to you?" she asked, a tiny blush on her face.

He looked deeply into her eyes, there was something more there, he could feel it, it shook him to his very core.

"No, go ahead." He said, he knew that right now, she needed the safety of his touch, of knowing he was there. He was sitting Indian-style on the bed when Momo pulled herself up and laid her head in his lap, her hands went around his body, clasping at his back. He looked surprised for a few moments before he realized her mind was now at peace. He watched her as she slowly drifted into a deep sleep.

Hitsugaya's hands laid at his sides as he watched her. Millions of different thoughts loomed in his brain, the most prominent being that he was feeling different feelings for Momo than that of a sister. She had some way wiggled her way into his closed heart. He didn't open that heart for anyone, anyone except Momo.

Was it because she had always been there for him? That she had accepted him when no one else would? That she had befriended him when he had no friends? He didn't know, but one thing was for certain, despite that many said his heart was made of ice, he knew that Momo was in his heart, she was the only one he trusted with it.

"Momo…" Hitsugaya murmured, running his fingers through her hair. He wished he could tell her how he felt, but would she accept him? If she didn't return the same feelings, would he lose his only true friend?

He bit his lip. Telling Momo how he felt wasn't a good idea. In fact, it was a horrible idea. He couldn't stand to lose her and he was hell bent on protecting their friendship at all costs.

"I love you…" she murmured, deep in sleep. He frowned, she was more than likely dreaming about Aizen.

"You're a great Captain…" she mumbled, her arms tightening around Hitsugaya as she blushed. "Hitsugaya-kun."

Hitsugaya gasped and looked down at her, had he heard her correctly, had he called _his_ name instead of Aizen's?

"Momo, do you love me?" he asked, but she didn't respond, she only cuddled deeper into his shihakusho.

Hitsugaya carefully moved Hinamori so he could lay down, her head was laying on his stomach and her hand rested on his thigh. This felt so relaxed, so natural. He leaned back and felt his eyelids getting heavy. Despite the fact that he wasn't tired he still felt his body drifting off into sleep.

--

Hitsugaya woke up the next morning, the bright sun peaking through his window. This was unlike him, he was often up before the sun, working on the day's activities. He felt a weight on the lower-half of his body. He looked down and saw Hinamori laying on him, her arms were wrapped around his torso and her head laid flat on his abdomen, she looked so peaceful he regretted moving but knew that he was already late for that day's work.

"Hitsugaya-kun…" Momo muttered, lifting her head up, she still looked so tired.

"Go back to sleep Momo, I'm just going to do some work."

"What time is it?" she murmured, rubbing her eyes. Hitsugaya looked at the clock on his desk. "It's only 7:30, you can sleep a little bit longer-"

"_7:30!_" Hinamori exclaimed jumping up. She ran over to where she had left her Zanpakuto and her Lieutenant badge. "I have a team meeting at 8am!"

She tied her Zanpakuto belt on and headed for the door. "Goodbye, Shiro-chan!" she called, closing the door.

Hitsugaya sat back in awe, what had just happened? She had moved so quickly. He shrugged and looked at the amount of paperwork he had to finish. Not only was he doing his own division's paper work, but he was also doing division five's paper work as well.

--

Hitsugaya stood on a platform about Division 10's training ground, below him was his squad, practicing their fighting style with their Zanpakuto.

"The training is going well, Hitsugaya-taicho." Matsumoto said suddenly as she flash stepped behind him. Hitsugaya merely nodded. "I want training to cease no later than 4pm, tell the squad they can take a long weekend." He said, since it was Friday and training only occurred during the week.

"Yes sir." She said, flash stepping back off the platform. Suddenly the squad stopped training as a girl flew past them waving a sheet of paper in her hand. "Hitsugaya-kun!" she yelled, making Hitsugaya wince. _Was it THAT hard for Momo to not call him Captain Hitsugaya, even in front of his squad?_

"Continue your training!" Hitsugaya called to his squad, they immediately obeyed.

Hitsugaya climbed off of the platform somewhat irritated at Momo for showing open disrespect in front of his squad.

She ran up to him and stopped a few feet away. "I'm sorry for bothering you, Shiro-chan, but I-"

"I hate it when you call me that, Momo!" Hitsugaya muttered.

"Well, you always called me bed-wetter!" she defended, handing him a piece of paper.

"What is this?" he asked, looking over the form.

"It's a form that I need you to sign, stating that I reached Bankai." She said. "I have to have this paper signed by you and by Captain Unohana in order to be promoted to Captain!" she exclaimed, her face aglow.

"Captain?" he asked, looking over the form. "Hey Momo, do you even know Bankai?" he asked, looking at her.

"Well," she said, scratching her head. "I haven't mastered it completely, but I can bring my Zanpakuto to it's Bankai state!" she said. "Captain Aizen worked with me until I finally got it, and I need to become a Captain so I can take over for him while he's gone!"

Hitsugaya almost crumpled the paper at the mention of Aizen's name, and to see Momo so _happy_ about him. He felt a surge of jealousy rise up in him.

"Momo, Aizen is never going to be Captain of Division 5 ever again…" he muttered, his other hand forming a fist.

Hinamori frowned. "I know he's done a lot of bad things." She muttered, her arms shaking. "But, I _know_ there is something else! Something he's not telling us!" she said, twisting her hands together. "I feel like once everyone sees that he is being forced into doing these evil things, then they'll let him return."

"He almost _killed_ you for God's sake…" Hitsugaya muttered.

"But he was forced to! I just know he wouldn't hurt me purposefully!"

Hitsugaya sighed, he knew there would be no getting through to her, she was just too stubborn. "Lets see your Bankai…" he muttered.

She straightened and pulled out her Zanpakuto, pointing it in the direction of the sun. "Snap, Tobiume!" She yelled as her Zanpakuto transformed into it's Shikai state. The blade straightened and produced several jitte-like prongs along its length. Hitsugaya remembered when she had first discovered her Zapakuto's name.

_She had come running home from the academy jumping up and down screaming her Zanpakuto's name to him and Granny. Hitsugaya hadn't entirely understood what Momo had tried to explain, but he knew that she was very happy, and seeing her that happy made him happy himself._

"Okay," Hinamori said, taking a deep breath. "I have to concentrate my spirtual energy…" she muttered holding the hilt of her Zanpakuto tightly. He felt Momo's heavy spiritual pressure weighing down on him as she closed her eyes tightly and tried her hardest to concentrate her spiritual energy.

"BANKAI!" she yelled

Her blade suddenly transformed, covering her tiny body in an electrical current. Her hair became full of static electricity and whenever she moved her body would make a popping noise. Her Zanpakuto changed from it's Shikai form to a long jagged lightning bolt shape. She smiled widely as she pointed out her finger and touched Hitsugaya's palm that rested at his side, a tiny electical current shot through him, lightly shocking him.

"That's just 1/100th of my power!" she said, turning to one of the combat dummies that Hitsugaya's division used to train, none of his squad was training anymore, they had all stopped to watch this young girl perform her Bankai. She sent a strong electrical current from the edge of her Zanpakuto to one of the dummies and it immediately exploded.

Hitsugaya gasped. "Momo, those dummies are supposed to hold up against any form of Kido!" he said, surprised.

"I know!" she said, lowering her sword and relaxing her spirit energy until her Zanpakuto returned to normal.

She took a step forward to hug him out of excitement, but when her arm touched him he felt an electric shock go through him again.

"Ow, Momo!" he said, rubbing his shoulder. "That one hurt!"

"Sorry Shiro- I mean Hitsugaya-taicho." She said, blushing.

Hitsugaya looked up at her, shocked. Had she just called him Captain Hitsugaya? Finally?

Hitsugaya quickly signed the paper. "I'm… I'm really proud of you Hinamori, you'll be a Captain in no-time at all!"

She looked up at him. "Do you mean it, Hitsugaya-kun?" she said, her blush deepening.

Hitsugaya sighed. _At least she had called me Captain once, I guess that's a step in the right direction…_

He nodded and smiled, his lips pursed together.

She jumped into his arms, his arms went around her to keep both of them from falling. His face turned red as some of his unit glanced over and some were whispering.

"Damn it Momo, my entire squad is staring!" he said and she quickly jumped up, her face pale.

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry!" she said, brushing off his Haori. She saluted dumbly. "THANK YOU, HITSUGAYA-TAI-" She began to yell before Hitsugaya slammed his hand over her mouth.

"Be quiet, Hinamori!" he yelled. "You don't have to thank me, and you _definitely_ don't have to thank me that loudly…" he muttered.

She held her hands to her side. "I was just trying to help…"

"I know, Momo." He said, his smile full of pity. "It'll be okay, now you might want to go find Unohana-taicho before she stops training for the day."

Momo nodded and waved as she ran off. Hitsugaya just crossed his arms and shook his head. She was so cute sometimes, like when she was flustered, or when she was embarrassed. He smiled to himself as he replayed their hugging scene in his mind.

--

Hitsugaya was in the middle of some late night Division 5 paperwork when heard someone jiggling his doorknob, but the door was locked.

He then heard soft knocking, so soft that if he hadn't been waiting for it, he wouldn't have heard it. He walked to the door and unlocked it, as soon as he opened it, he was met with the crying face of Momo Hinamori.

"Shiro-chan!" she exclaimed, running into his arms. He pulled her off of him but still held her at arms length, he looked over her body for any bleeding wounds or broken bones.

"Are you alright?" he asked, frantically. He didn't often see her this upset.

"Yes… I mean no!" she said, running back into his arms, burying her head into his shoulder, her whole body shook.

"Was it Aizen? I'll _kill_ him!" He said, his brows furrowing together as he looked behind her, expecting the bastard's face to appear.

"I… I couldn't do my Bankai again…" she said, falling to her knees. He closed the door and leaned down beside her. "I… I didn't have the strength to do it twice." She said, wiping her eyes on the sleeve of her Shihakusho.

"That's understandable Momo, you just _developed_ the use of your Bankai, you shouldn't have a lot of strength or control over it yet." He said, rubbing her shoulders.

"Unohana-taicho looked at me as if I was an idiot…" she muttered, her body shaking.

"I'm sure she didn't, she's a really nice person." He said, brushing his fingers through her messy hair to calm her down.

"Oh Shiro-chan…" she said, leaning towards him, her head rested on his chest and he continued to hold her.

"Shh… It's okay…" he muttered, he wasn't the best at consoling someone, and most of the time, he would avoid a crying woman like the plague, but this wasn't just any woman, this was _Momo_.

"If Captain Aizen was here, he'd know what I should do." Momo whimpered.

Hitsugaya's muscles tensed around her, that bastard again? He wanted to say something about her crazy obsession with her past Captain, but he didn't want to upset her more.

"Just go find another Captain tomorrow once you've rested and try it again." He said, and she looked up at him.

"Oh Hitsugaya-kun, if you weren't here, I don't know what I'd do…" she mumbled, grabbing tightly onto his Haori.

Hitsugaya didn't respond, but it felt good to him to be needed, especially by her. He looked into her eyes and wiped them with his thumb. "Feeling better?" he asked, and she nodded.

"Shiro-chan, when you have time, do you think you could help me work on my Bankai?" she asked, looking up at him with bright brown eyes.

He looked over at the two huge stacks of paperwork for the both teams he was taking over for.

"Sure…" he said, smiling.

"Hitsugaya-kun, could I stay over tonight again?" she asked. "I… I'm afraid I'm going to have that nightmare again…" she muttered, looking up at him.

Hitsugaya sighed, he had barely gotten any sleep last night with her laying on top of him, could he really put himself through the torture of being so close to her, but not being able to touch her?

"Please, Shiro-chan?" she asked, looking at him with those big brown eyes, and her pretty mouth was turned downwards into a tiny frown.

"I'll let you stay on one condition." He said and she smiled brightly.

"Anything!" she said. "I'll do anything!"

"Stop calling me Shiro-chan!" he said, ruffling her hair. A small smile appeared on his face for a moment. "Or I'll start calling you bed-wetter again!"

She nodded. "Alright, Hitsugaya-taicho." She said.

His formal honorific didn't sound as good on her lips than when she used to run into his arms after coming home from the Shinigami Academy squealing and calling his name with the honorific –kun behind it. He knew that she often called him Hitsugaya-kun, but he had mixed emotions about whether he wanted her to be less formal when they were in private like this.

"Momo, you don't have to call me Hitsugaya-taicho unless we're in public." He said, smiling.

She looked at him strangely, but then smiled. "Okay, Shiro-chan!" she said.

He frowned. "Oh come on Momo, that's a kids name, I'm not a kid anymore! Can't you see?" he said, standing to full height. She stood beside him, she was still taller than him.

"I'm sorry," she said, resting her hand on his shoulder. "You're right, it's just hard to imagine you as anyone besides little Shiro-chan." She said, before looking up to think.

Hitsugaya sighed and was, once again, disappointed.

"I know!" she said, her other hand resting on his other shoulder as she held him at arms length. "I can call you Toshiro-kun!" she said, happily.

Hitsugaya looked up at her and nodded, but his famous frown had returned. "That's fine."

"What's the matter, Toshiro-kun?" she asked, leaning down to look him straight in the eye.

"Nothing…" he said, looking away. "I have to do paperwork, you can sleep if you want to."

She nodded and pulled off her belt that held her Zanpakuto and her Shihakusho leaving on the white Kimono underneath. He sat behind the desk and grabbed a pen, getting to work.

She dived into his bed, making him look up. She giggled.

"That was fun." She said but he didn't respond.

She turned and watched him as pulled the first form off of the top stack. He felt her gaze on him for a while, she was laying in his bed, on his pillow, staring at him.

"Shiro-kun?" she asked then at almost a whisper.

"Hmm?" he asked, not looking up from the paper.

"You're really cute when you concentrate." She muttered, blushing a little.

He looked up, surprised. Was she only playing with his emotions?

"What kind of cute?" he asked, frowning warily.

Her face turned even redder. "I don't know, maybe the kind of cute… that… makes me want to… kiss the lines in between your eyebrows?" she mumbled, the second part a bit rushed, but he had heard it all.

He stared at her for what seemed like an eternity.

"Don't stare at me like that, Shiro-kun!" she said, turning away embarrassed.

Hitsugaya returned to his paperwork, but now he found himself unable to concentrate.

"Momo, do you love me?" he asked, looking up again. His heart was pounding in his chest, he was either making the best or the worst decision of his life.

She turned to him suddenly, she way laying on her back. "What?!" she asked, blushing furiously.

"Never mind," he said, placing the pen against the paper. "Forget I asked."

She stood and walked over to him. "What did you say?" she asked.

"Don't play dumb, Momo." He said, dropping his pen as he stood, his hands propped on the edges of the desk. "You heard me."

She stopped beside him. "Why did you ask me that?"

Hitsugaya shrugged. "I heard you say it in your sleep, but it's obvious that that's all it was, a dream..." he muttered.

"Who says?" Momo asked.

Now it was Hitsugaya's turn to look shocked.

"Maybe I do love you, Shiro-kun." She said, standing across from him, crossing her arms.

"Maybe?" he asked, then laughed. "You don't love me, Momo." He muttered, standing to his full height. "You love the idea of me, of knowing that I'll always be there for you. Of knowing that no matter how much of your world collapses around you, I'll be here to clean up the pieces. You love knowing that I love you _so_ much that I'd give my _life_ for yours and that I'd never fall in love with anyone else besides you because you've had me in a trance since the very first day I set my eyes on you." He said, his tone dripping with bitterness. "You don't love me Momo, I'm just your _safety net_." He said, stepping to the door. He turned just as he opened it. "The real man you love is the one who gave you that scar across your abdomen." He muttered, before walking out.

--

Toshiro Hitsugaya sat on the roof of his barracks overlooking the Seireitei, the night was cold and windy, but he didn't care. Even despite the fact that he had spilled his heart to Momo, he didn't feel any relief or any weight off of his chest. She had been crying when he had left, he didn't know why he said the things he said but knew that she didn't deserve the tongue-lashing he had given her.

His hands tightened into fists as he punched the roof. Why did he say that? He wasn't the kind of person to let his mouth outrun his mind. The one moment she had approached him about her feelings towards him and he had slammed it back in her face. He had even prompted it!

After a moment of contemplation he stood and looked out towards the moon. He turned, leaving back towards his quarters, praying she was still there.

When he opened the door, he saw her, on his bed, rolled up in a ball, sobbing into his pillow. She, realizing he was in the room, buried her face deeper into his pillow. She then threw it away, disgusted. "It even smells like you…" she muttered.

"Momo… I didn't mean what I said before…" he said, coming up to her, her arms were crossed and her hair was in an array. When she looked at him he noticed her eyes were swollen and very wet from tears.

"No one says that without meaning it." She muttered.

"Listen, I was… just jealous." He admitted, before sighing heavily. He hated showing any form of weakness, even to her.

"Jealous of what, Hitsugaya-_taicho_?" she spat, angrily adding emphasis to his title. "What in the world would you be jealous of?"

Hitsugaya suddenly snapped. "Of Aizen!" he yelled. "Of the fact that despite that he about killed us both, you still find him blameless! Of the fact that I've been by your side for as long as I can remember but yet you'd still choose him over me!"

Hinamori turned to him, sitting up on his bed. Her kimono had slid off her shoulder and her hair had fallen out of it's tight bun and now cascaded over her shoulders. She looked so… _helpless_ to him.

"Well," she said, wiping her eyes and adjusting her kimono, closing it tightly. "Maybe you just don't know me as well as you thought you did."

Hitsugaya huffed. "No one knows you as well as I do, Hinamori."

Momo's eyes widened. "Well, no one knows you as well as I do, Shiro-kun!" she yelled, but then looked down sadly. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to have mutual feelings for you when we were younger, but, you have to understand that I still loved you." She said, looking up, staring out the window, the moonlight reflecting off of her shining face. "But that brotherly-sisterly love we had for each other blossomed into something more the moment you became a Shinigami." She muttered, but then turned to him. "But you learned to seal your happy emotions away." She said, looking at him. "I never knew what you were thinking, and the farthest thought on my mind was that you might actually return my feelings." She said. "Don't you see? You've always left me in the dark when it comes to your true emotions!" she stood, facing him eye to and eye. Her words had shocked him. She walked past him towards her Shihakusho and her Zanpakuto, but before she could completely pass him he grabbed her forearm.

"Don't leave…" he muttered.

She looked down at him, tears began to roll down her cheeks. "Why?"

"Because…" he muttered, his hand resting on her side. "I want to hold you."

She only stared at him for a few moments. "What are you thinking, Shiro-kun?"

"I'm thinking…" he murmured. "That I have about ten questions I want to ask you right now, but I doubt that any one of them will satisfy me more than just holding you for a few seconds."

She ran her hands through his white hair. "Only a few seconds?"

He pulled her into a tight hug, his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She leaned her forehead against his forehead.

"Will you kiss me Shiro-kun?"

He blushed as he looked up to her, this was what he had been waiting for his entire life.

"Why are you crying, Shiro-kun?" she asked, a few tears rolling down her cheeks as well. "I've never seen you cry before…"

He wiped the singular tear that had rolled down his cheek away. "I don't know… it's strange…" he said, blinking. "Crying…"

"It's not strange…" she said with a smile. "You know me, I do it all the time."

He sobered. "You kill me inside when you cry."

"I'm sorry," she said, wiping her eyes quickly.

Hitsugaya could sense almost everything about Hinamori, her smell, her touch, the sound of her heartbeat, the sight of her in his arms, he just wished he could taste her. He lifted his head and stared into her eyes, and then, as if she had been thinking the same thing he had thought, she softly pressed her lips against his. Kissing him gently. He felt her arms wrap around his neck. Bringing them both closer.

Hitsugaya pulled away and reached up to cup her cheek. "That… that was the first time I've ever kissed someone." He said.

She smiled widely. "Me too."

He looked up. "Really?"

She giggled. "Yeah, and I'm glad it was you, Shiro-kun."

Hitsugaya gave a tiny smile, one barely recognizable to someone who didn't know him well, but Momo recognized it immediately.

"You're happy." She murmured.

He immediately switched back to his rough exterior. "What are you talking about?" he mumbled, scratching the back of his neck.

She giggled.

"Are you planning to stay tonight?" he asked.

She folded her Shihakusho and placed her Zanpakuto on top of it. "It depends, can you keep your hands off me?"

Hitsugaya blushed and turned away crossing his arms. "Listen Momo, don't act like you have the upper hand here," he muttered. "I can easily control any urges that might arise, I am a captain after all."

She pursed her lips, fighting off a laugh. "Fine, I'll stay."

He went back to his desk and sat, grabbing his pen.

"Are you going to do paperwork this late?" she asked, climbing into his bed once again.

He shrugged. "This paperwork won't finish itself." He said, getting to work.

Minutes flew by, and Hitsugaya could feel Momo's stare on him again. He looked up once, met her eyes and then looked down again.

A few more moments passed and Hitsugaya looked up again. "What is it?" he asked.

"Nothing…" she murmured.

"Go to bed."

She giggled. "Hai, Taicho."

"Don't get smart with me…" he warned.

She sighed and closed her eyes, quickly falling asleep. He continued to look up and watch her as he worked.

--

Hitsugaya woke up the next morning, the sun had barely peaked over the horizon. He felt Momo sleeping, her arm on his chest and her head right by his shoulder.

"Momo, it's morning." He said, shaking her awake.

She lifted her head slowly. Her eyes slowly opening as her head exhaustedly collapsed on his chest. "Night…" she muttered.

"Momo Hinamori…" he called. "Remember, you have to show Ukitake-taicho your Bankai."

She sat up immediately. "I forgot!" she said, jumping out of bed and running to her folded Shihakusho. "Oh man, I'm going to be late for our meeting!" she said, looking at herself in his mirror. "I look so ugly!"

He stood and walked over to her, carefully pulling her hair up into a bun as she tied her Shihakusho and grabbed her belt, tying it also onto her waist, it held her Zanpakuto.

He wrapped her hair in a cloth and tied it with a ribbon. "There you go." He said.

She turned. "Thanks, Shiro-kun." She said, hugging him. She began to walk off but he grabbed her hand.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" he asked, and she immediately searched her body.

"Zanpakuto, lieutenant badge, form…" she said, then looked up. "No, I think I got it all!" she said.

"Fine, never mind." He said, slapping his forehead with his palm.

She ran out the door, and closed it behind her. Just as Hitsugaya went to the door to watch her run off she came barreling back through the door and jumped in his arms, kissing him warmly.

"Almost forgot…" she murmured, kissing him once more. "To tell you… that I love you."

His eyes widened and then relaxed. "I love you too, now get going, you'll be late!"

"Wish me luck!" she yelled as she ran off.

"You'll do fine!" he yelled. "Just remember to concentrate your spirit energy!"

"I will!" she said, running off into the sunrise.

The End

**A/N:** Review please, or I'll start singing!! :-)

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